Sometimes all it takes is a little flesh. Photo: Ramsey Smith Trout that live in the lower sections of rivers like the Kanektok and the Arolik in Western Alaska get a lot of their calories from salmon flesh. That means that at Alaska West we spend a lot of time tying and fishing patterns that…
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Alaska West
Arctic Grayling
OK, maybe this one didn’t eat a dry. Photo: Cameron Miller There’s a species that we love to catch at Alaska West that we don’t talk about much, and that’s the Arctic Grayling. They’re small. Let’s get that out of the way from the get-go. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game calls any grayling…
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Why We Like Spey Casting
An angler covers a lot of water without hurting his shoulders. Photo: Cameron Miller When it comes to fishing for kings on the Kanektok, or fishing for steelhead on the Dean, we really like Spey casting. Spey rods are getting a lot more popular these days. That being said, we hear from a lot of…
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Just Another Chrome King
Dr. Tony Robins hits paydirt at the chrome mine. Think this fish has been in the Kanektok for long? Think again. More Kanektok Kings Nice Fish, Mike King Rig Roundup We Love Singles Alaska West in The Angling Report Fish with Dec, Get a Free Rod Salmon Grand Slam Greg Thomas on Fresh Fish 10…
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Sage 690-4 Z-Axis – 5 Things to Like
Don’t use a 4-weight on me. Photo: Cameron Miller We like the Sage 690-4 Z-Axis. Why? It’s got the backbone to land giant Kanektok River leopard rainbows. If you can only bring one trout rod to Alaska West, we’re going to recommend a 6 weight. We fish big flies on heavy tippet for big fish…
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Alaska Guidespeak Glossary
These guys talk funny. Photo: Cameron Miller Fishing guides spend a lot of time together in remote places. Over time, a guide staff’s dialect develops to the point of becoming close to a foreign language. If you’re heading to Alaska West this summer, learning the terms in this handy glossary will help you understand what…
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10 Tips – Swinging Flies for Kings
Tip #10, executed to perfection. Photo: Cameron Miller Planning on swinging flies for king salmon this summer, maybe on the Kanektok or the Dean? Here are some tips that may help. Cast across and slightly downstream. You certainly need to read the water you’re fishing and adjust accordingly, but in general if you’re fishing a…
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Hustle and Fish
Photo: Rollcast Productions The guys at Rollcast Productions, the producers of Fishizzle, have just released their second film called ‘Hustle and Fish’. We’d tell you that it’s loaded with beautiful footage shot in HD, has great music, is pretty darned funny, and has raised the bar on fishing movies…but don’t take our word for it….
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Greg Thomas on Fresh Fish
Photo: Greg Thomas Greg Thomas is one of the premier writers in fly fishing. He puts out quality stuff only, as evidenced by his definitive Flyfisher’s Guides to the western states, his publication Tight Lines, his magazine work and his freelance pieces in publications like, say, the New York Times. Greg is now the managing editor…
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Rainbow Trout Fishing – Mend Less.
It’s summer, so I have to eat. Photo: Cameron Miller There are trout streams out there where highly educated trout demand perfect presentation. Long, light tippets are key. Pure, drag-free drift is essential, and if your fourth mend falls 3 inches left of where it should have, that fish is not going to eat. The…
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